'A van is on its way with explosives': Forty-year-old man charged with making a hoax bomb threat to Stansted Airport

A 40-year-old man has been charged over a hoax bomb threat made to Stansted Airport, police said today.

Lancashire Police said a call was made warning that a van was on its way to the Essex airport with explosives on board yesterday morning.

Paul Jackson, 40, from Blackburn, Lancashire, was due to appear at Blackburn Magistrates' Court today charged with communicating false information.

Scare: police received a hoax call claiming that a van carrying explosives was on its way to the busy Stansted Airport in Essex

A police spokesman said: 'Jackson was arrested by Lancashire Police at an address in Infirmary Street, Blackburn, yesterday morning after hoax calls were made to a police force falsely stating that a van was on its way to Stansted Airport with explosives on board.'

A second man, also aged 40 and from Blackburn, was also arrested yesterday in connection with the offence but he has now been released without charge, he added.

A spokesman for the airport said: 'Patrols were increased yesterday morning at Stansted Airport following information received by police from another force.

'This was precautionary and in line with established practice.

'The airport remained open and operated as normal.'

The arrests come days after it emerged that a BA flight steward was charged with making a mid-air bomb threat.

Matthew Davis, 22, was on the Tokyo to London flight with 150 passengers on board when it is alleged he scrawled a message on a toilet door that caused the scare.

The message is claimed to have said: ‘The bomb on board will explode at 16.00 GMT unless our demands are met.'

Shocked cabin crew discovered the terrifying message as the plane cruised at 35,000ft.

It is understood that the pilot contacted the authorities after the message was brought to his attention.